Healthy Food Choices

Q: I have been trying to eat a healthier diet. Will I be able to find healthy food choices in the Bon Appétit café?

Congratulations on your nutrition goals! Nutrition is a personal issue for many people. In fact, when we talk to our guests, we hear about a wide range of foods, diets and eating patterns they define as “healthy.” Bon Appétit is committed to offering choices that fit many nutritional goals.

We start with a simple set of “Kitchen Principles.” The principles were created by Bon Appétit to ensure the highest level of food quality. All Bon Appétit chefs follow these standards, which include use of fresh, sustainable products and cooking from scratch. You will find our foods are alive with flavor and nutrition and look, smell, and taste delicious.

The result of following these principles is a menu that reflects an ever-changing variety of healthy foods from basic fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats, to exotic ethnic, vegetarian, vegan dishes and more! You can request many items cooked to order in our exhibition-style stations, and find foods that meet many personal nutrition goal, be it disease prevention, sports performance or more specific dietary needs.

Our cafés also use a unique labeling program to help you identify café items with certain nutritional qualities. We use color-coded stickers to identify items that are vegetarian, vegan, organic, made without gluten, well being and/or in balance with 2010 US Dietary Guidelines and/or abide by our environmental and community programs of Farm to Fork and Seafood Watch. In addition, please talk to our onsite chefs and managers who will be happy to direct you to the best choices for your specific needs.

Food Calories

Q: Can you tell me how many calories are in the foods in the Bon Appétit café?

A: We can certainly help you identify healthy choices in the Bon Appétit cafés but exact nutrition content information, like calories, is more difficult.

Bon Appétit menu items are prepared fresh, from scratch, in our kitchens each day. Our chefs take advantage of local and seasonal ingredients and do not follow specific, standard recipes in which the ingredients are weighed or measured. In fact, menu items that do repeat may be slightly different each time they are served because of seasonality and availability of the freshest ingredients. We cook like many people do at home, tasting and adjusting throughout preparation so that the final menu items meet our standards for flavor and quality. Without a standardized recipe, specific nutrition information is likely to be inaccurate.

It is, however, fundamental to our principles to incorporate as many healthy cooking techniques as possible. Our chefs are required to use healthy fats, focus on healthy, nutrient-rich ingredients, as well as to consciously put healthy food choices on the menu. Our chefs are trained in what we call “stealth nutrition” so that they think about core nutrition principles as they plan their menus.

If you are looking for a calorie controlled meal choice in your Bon Appétit café, think about choosing one of our “In Balance” items, which contain a balanced portion of whole grains, fresh vegetables, and lean proteins all prepared with a minimal amount of healthy fat, and typically contain approximately 600 calories.

The Nutrition Facts Tables section on this website provides the average calorie information for foods that are commonly served in the Bon Appétit cafés. We also recommend looking at the USDA’s new guidelines for a balanced diet, at choosemyplate.gov.

Food Allergies

Q: How will you handle my concerns about a food allergy?

A: Bon Appétit takes food allergies very seriously. We are careful to train our staff on food allergy awareness issues, but because of the complexities of food allergies, we prefer to work individually with you on your specific dietary needs. Our onsite chef and/or manager will meet with you individually to develop a plan that may include special menu items, ingredient identification, special preparation and communication to necessary staff to ensure that you can eat safely. You may also use our corporate registered dietitian as a resource for food allergies.

Weight Management

Q: I’m concerned about my weight. Does Bon Appétit offer diet foods?

A: These days the approaches to weight management are more varied than ever. Some people swear by low fat while others have gone to low carbohydrate or just count calories. Bon Appétit will not try to dictate which is right for you. Our menus provide choices for all of these approaches. All Bon Appétit menus include a wide selection of fresh lean meats and vegetarian proteins, extensive salad and fresh vegetable options, whole grains and beans, as well as milk, soy milk, yogurts, fruits, which is the right portions, will support weight management.

Special Dietary Needs

Q: How does Bon Appétit address religious dietary needs?

A: The availability of kosher foods and other foods that are important in religious dietary observances vary from café to café. Please contact your onsite dining services for the options that are available in your café.

Q: I follow a specific diet for (lactose intolerance, celiac disease, diabetes, etc.) and need to be able to stay on my diet. Will this be possible in the Bon Appétit café?

A: The use of multiple stations and exhibition areas encourages a “have it your way” system, allowing you to follow any personal diet that you desire. However, if you have trouble identifying which items meet your needs, we are here to help. The General Manager and Executive Chef can answer questions and help you get to know what foods work for you in the café. In most cases, the choices are already there. If not, we will also work with you to prepare items that meet your dietary needs. When appropriate, you and the onsite staff can also consult with our corporate registered dietitian for help with making menu choices.

Disclaimer: We attempt to provide nutrition information that is as complete as possible. The nutritional values are based on USDA data, common cooking techniques, and data from our suppliers. Variations may occur due to the use of regional suppliers, seasonal influences, differences in product preparation at the kitchen level, recipe revisions, and other factors. This information is always subject to change and will be updated periodically. Aug 2013